2. Oklahoma City Thunder
In the Western Conference, there hasn't been a more consistent team so far this season than the Oklahoma City Thunder. Sure, the Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies have looked good for the majority of the season and even the likes of the Denver Nuggets have shaken off an inconsistent start to the year, but the Thunder have been nearly as dominant as the Cleveland Cavaliers have been so far this season. Here's an impressive stat that may break your brain: The Thunder have a 22-2 record with Isaiah Hartenstein this season.
What's even scarier is the fact that he's yet to play in a game this season with Chet Holmgren. The hope is that the duo is unleashed at some point during the second half of the season and truly begins to hit its stride at some point when the NBA Playoffs begin. As the Thunder continue to fight for legitimacy in the conference, there's no question they're going to be a heavy favorite to make it out of the Western Conference this season. And with as much talent as they have on their roster, why can't this be the Thunder's year?
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
At the midway point of the season, there shouldn't be much debate. The Cleveland Cavaliers are the best team in the NBA right now and this is a team that may not have even hit their ceiling yet. That's a scary thought for the rest of the league, certainly the Eastern Conference. Despite their regular season success, which is quite impressive, the big question that this team needs to face is whether or not they are going to be able to stop the Boston Celtics in a seven-game series. The defending champs can't be overlooked no matter how good Cleveland has looked.
On paper, the Cavs appear to have the talent to, at the very least, keep pace with the Celtics. However, in their matchup in the postseason last year, the Cavs didn't pose much of a threat to Boston. The hope is that this year will be a much different story. Whether that will end up being the case remains to be seen but there's no question that Cleveland is off to a roaring start to the year. The Cavs are not just off to a hot start to the year, this team is a legit threat to win it all this season.